Current drive speed control systems utilize planetary gear sets together with a plurality of clutch packs to accomplish speed selection. The speed selection is enabled through the use of a fluid actuatable clutch and a brake system which permits the driven shaft to be operated in direct drive at full speed or through the transmission at a reduced speed. An example of such a prior drive speed system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,448,828.
Typical automatic transmissions (i.e., 5 speed transmissions) that utilize clutch packs to effectuate ratio selection suffer from parasitic drag which can negatively impact power train efficiency. Additionally, in these typical automatic transmissions, the front wheel drive and the rear wheel drive transmissions do not have any common components with one another. Thus, the assembly of each transmission requires entirely separate processes. Because these prior automatic transmissions utilize a plurality of clutch packs, they require a large amount of space. These prior transmissions are also relatively expensive and cumbersome to assemble because of the complexity of their systems.